I am a hobby photographer and I have never cared about the SD port. The modern cameras are pretty fast with the transfer rate and you can connect with USB-C cable to recharge and to transfer data at same time - well it does on my Sony A7C.
It's baffling why Apple would bring that back if it can be done with USB-C and use any kind of reader to interface with USB4. It's also true for "HDMI" port. Who wants to see that?!?!
The goal of USB4 is one port to rule all and Apple, along with other PC companies, should follow that.
And eliminate the TouchBar? I use that every-single-time I use my Mac. It’s genius. They had better keep it.
To be fair, that's how some of us felt about USB-A ports, HDMI, headphone jacks, magsafe, and yes, even the SD card slot. Apple ditching three of those things is partly why I'm typing this on a Dell XPS. (That and an $800 price difference, and I'm fluent in Windows and macOS) I still use USB-A, HDMI, SD cards, and the headphone jack at least two or three times a week, and carrying around 3 or 4 dongles for such often-used features is a pain.
No need to carry around 3 or 4 dongles. Why not just get one that has all those ports? Like this one for about $35 (probably cheaper than 3 or 4 dongles):
Meh. My dSLRs have moved on to XQD and CFexpress Type B.
I was wondering how many professional photographers still use SD cards.
And MagSafe over USB-C?
I still miss MagSafe - infinity easier to connect and more convenient. it was less obtrusive, too. I've tried using one of the USB-C/mag safe adapters and it was worthless. Since charging is the one thing that every single laptop owner does, having a dedicated charge port actually makes sense.
I’m surprised about HDMI... Many monitors support USB-C now and with Airplay for presentations the lack of HDMI was only a slight inconvenience, and a worthy omission from a design aesthetics point of view (and the push to USB-C).
As for SD, it’s nice to have but I wonder what the overall usage is versus other type of storage ports in cameras.
Sorry, HDMI is easily the most prevalent connection for video and is far and away more common than USB C for video. I recently purchased an external monitor for my MBP and restricting it to USB C severely limited my options. HDMI is also on every single TV sold, making it easy to connect to a TV if you want to. If you are presenting, the one connection you can be sure will be present in the conference room is... yup, HDMI.
You can say how other protocols may be technically better, but often times HDMI wins simply because it is the standard.
And you can get a single cable that has USB-C on one end & HDMI on the other - no dongle needed.
Apple should be moving forward, not backward. I think they're listening too much to a vocal minority.
They are moving forward with Apple Silicon. Understandably that design change is driven by market share concerns, to provide as much penetration to Apple Silicon as possible.
Are you telling me the current unibody MacBook design isn’t edged??
People comparing HDMI & SD card connections to retrograde tech are acting ridiculous. Anyone acting offended that there might be people who want these connections and don’t want a stupid box hanging next to their laptop (like what my girlfriend & I have to deal with to watch Disney+ on the stupid smart TV where its Disney+ app is utterly useless) are being selfish.
And yes, I expect this to be an excuse to raise prices. More profit for Apple. After raising prices on machines with fewer parts, they will raise them again and all the fanatics will excuse it with “well you wanted your useless ports back!”
I hate that this company is the best this industry has to offer.
Crossing my fingers for a 5-1/4" floppy disk drive next
Or serial and parallel ports too, some pros still needs them ߤ㦬t;/div>
SCSI baby... back to the future!
Is it April 1st yet? So-called "pros" who can afford a $2k+ laptop but not a couple of adapters as a stopgap until their next camera upgrade? Riiight...
Nah, just pros who expect their professional portable equipment to be fully functional out of the box without having to carry a bunch of extra kit.
oh, the trouble with the TouchBar is it has never been fully embraced by developers, so it’s potential was never realised. For example, my daughter once disclosed to me she has it set up to replicate a fixed row of function keys most of the time, except for when she wants to message emojis. Emojis! That is a lot of hardware cost for the minimal extra functionality it delivers after five years. Not a success. Cutting it out represents savings. Whether the savings go to the buyer or Apple’s margins is a question for Tim Apple.
Meh. My dSLRs have moved on to XQD and CFexpress Type B.
I was wondering how many professional photographers still use SD cards.
And MagSafe over USB-C?
I still miss MagSafe - infinity easier to connect and more convenient. it was less obtrusive, too. I've tried using one of the USB-C/mag safe adapters and it was worthless. Since charging is the one thing that every single laptop owner does, having a dedicated charge port actually makes sense.
I’m surprised about HDMI... Many monitors support USB-C now and with Airplay for presentations the lack of HDMI was only a slight inconvenience, and a worthy omission from a design aesthetics point of view (and the push to USB-C).
As for SD, it’s nice to have but I wonder what the overall usage is versus other type of storage ports in cameras.
Sorry, HDMI is easily the most prevalent connection for video and is far and away more common than USB C for video. I recently purchased an external monitor for my MBP and restricting it to USB C severely limited my options. HDMI is also on every single TV sold, making it easy to connect to a TV if you want to. If you are presenting, the one connection you can be sure will be present in the conference room is... yup, HDMI.
You can say how other protocols may be technically better, but often times HDMI wins simply because it is the standard.
And you can get a single cable that has USB-C on one end & HDMI on the other - no dongle needed.
Except every one has a HDMI-HDMI cable. No one has a HDMI-USB C cable, so you're back to needing a dongle. (hint - that's what a standard is; something that virtually everyone has and uses)
Yet another case of the "I don't need it, so why would anybody else" syndrome.
My Panasonic GH5 is still an extremely popular 4K video camera which doesn't link up to Macs like the newer Sonys. I shoot on SD and then remove the card and put that card into the SD card slot of my mid-2015 15" MBP. I use the SD card slot ALL THE TIME. It's far better than a stupid dongle which can easily be lost or misplaced or forgotten. Dongles also stick out of the machine and can easily be detached by accident. An internal solution is best, and I am super pleased they are bringing it back.
The other reason this news is great is because Apple will no doubt add the latest SD card tech — SD Express. That's basically a removable SSD in your Mac. Everybody who has "I don't need it so you shouldn't either" syndrome forgets that important detail.
Lastly, a lot of the disbelief that the SD card is coming back centers on all the bashing that has been going on since the SD card's demise. People who didn't need it, bashed those of us who did, claiming, "Apple will never go back! Ha!" And now that Apple is going back, it's hard for the bashers to backtrack all that bashing. The good news is that we who were bashed don't hold a grudge. We will get what we wanted all along, and those of you who still contend you don't need it, lose NOTHING. You simply can choose not to use that slot. And that's the great thing about it coming back — everybody is pleased in the end. Nobody loses anything. We only stand to gain!
For me, the most important aspect of these changes is that Apple is willing to admit to their mistakes and correct them. Butterfly keyboard, Touch Bar, and now I/O slots. Of course, they’ll never openly apologize, and instead tout the changes as something new and wonderful, but no matter, the corrections are welcome.
Could not agree more.
I have been nursing my exquisite late 2013 15" MacBook Pro with its complete range of I/O slots, MagSafe and excellent tactile keyboard. I genuinely believe it's the best laptop Apple has ever made. I almost vowed to myself that I would never buy another until Apple, at minimum, fixed the butterfly keyboard.
The fact that they have now addressed that, and are also addressing the issues with ports mean I may well be finally back in the market again!
Or maybe Apple is just tired of the oft-quoted Quo, and they've started generating bogus intel for him to report. Added bonus, they could be planting various ridiculous tidbits in different places so they can identify who's leaking info in the first place.
Crossing my fingers for a 5-1/4" floppy disk drive next
Or serial and parallel ports too, some pros still needs them ߤ㦬t;/div>
SCSI baby... back to the future!
Is it April 1st yet? So-called "pros" who can afford a $2k+ laptop but not a couple of adapters as a stopgap until their next camera upgrade? Riiight...
Nah, just pros who expect their professional portable equipment to be fully functional out of the box without having to carry a bunch of extra kit.
Somehow they can carry a bunch of SD cards, an HDMI cable, and likely a bunch of gear for their camera, but a USB-C adapter is too much.
Yet another case of the "I don't need it, so why would anybody else" syndrome.
Yet another case of "I need it, so everyone else should too" syndrome.
My Panasonic GH5 is still an extremely popular 4K video camera which doesn't link up to Macs like the newer Sonys. I shoot on SD and then remove the card and put that card into the SD card slot of my mid-2015 15" MBP. I use the SD card slot ALL THE TIME.
I also have a 2015 MBP, and I NEVER USE the SD card slot. My most common ways to transfer files (in order) are: AirDrop, SMB file sharing over Wifi, and USB flash drives.
It's far better than a stupid dongle which can easily be lost or misplaced or forgotten.
The same way an SD card can be.
An internal solution is best, and I am super pleased they are bringing it back.
Wirelessly transferring files without needing any intermediate storage device is superior to everything. While I don't own any high end cameras, I've seen plenty of other devices which can act as wirelessly connected storage for direct file transfers.
Lastly, a lot of the disbelief that the SD card is coming back centers on all the bashing that has been going on since the SD card's demise. People who didn't need it, bashed those of us who did, claiming, "Apple will never go back! Ha!" And now that Apple is going back, it's hard for the bashers to backtrack all that bashing.
Yet another case of the "I don't need it, so why would anybody else" syndrome.
Yet another case of "I need it, so everyone else should too" syndrome.
Well, no, jdw never said that. You said that. Jdw simply said there are people who use it as a reply to someone who said no one would use it. You distorted that to "everyone needs it" so you could have an argument.
Yet another case of the "I don't need it, so why would anybody else" syndrome.
Yet another case of "I need it, so everyone else should too" syndrome.
Well, no, jdw never said that. You said that. Jdw simply said there are people who use it as a reply to someone who said no one would use it. You distorted that to "everyone needs it" so you could have an argument.
So how do you know most pros are in desperate need for a HDMI?
And eliminate the TouchBar? I use that every-single-time I use my Mac. It’s genius. They had better keep it.
To be fair, that's how some of us felt about USB-A ports, HDMI, headphone jacks, magsafe, and yes, even the SD card slot. Apple ditching three of those things is partly why I'm typing this on a Dell XPS. (That and an $800 price difference, and I'm fluent in Windows and macOS) I still use USB-A, HDMI, SD cards, and the headphone jack at least two or three times a week, and carrying around 3 or 4 dongles for such often-used features is a pain.
Or you just get one single portable hub that has all those ports on it — there are a ton of options there. Also, Macs all have headphone jacks.
Crossing my fingers for a 5-1/4" floppy disk drive next
Or serial and parallel ports too, some pros still needs them ߤ㦬t;/div>
SCSI baby... back to the future!
Is it April 1st yet? So-called "pros" who can afford a $2k+ laptop but not a couple of adapters as a stopgap until their next camera upgrade? Riiight...
Nah, just pros who expect their professional portable equipment to be fully functional out of the box without having to carry a bunch of extra kit.
oh, the trouble with the TouchBar is it has never been fully embraced by developers, so it’s potential was never realised. For example, my daughter once disclosed to me she has it set up to replicate a fixed row of function keys most of the time, except for when she wants to message emojis. Emojis! That is a lot of hardware cost for the minimal extra functionality it delivers after five years. Not a success. Cutting it out represents savings. Whether the savings go to the buyer or Apple’s margins is a question for Tim Apple.
And eliminate the TouchBar? I use that every-single-time I use my Mac. It’s genius. They had better keep it.
To be fair, that's how some of us felt about USB-A ports, HDMI, headphone jacks, magsafe, and yes, even the SD card slot. Apple ditching three of those things is partly why I'm typing this on a Dell XPS. (That and an $800 price difference, and I'm fluent in Windows and macOS) I still use USB-A, HDMI, SD cards, and the headphone jack at least two or three times a week, and carrying around 3 or 4 dongles for such often-used features is a pain.
Oh we won't see Type-A going out anytime soon, they're so damn cheap to put one on your device. Then again, I could argue the same with RS-232 and Printer port too. How many years since the latest HDMI specification released? Do you think it's good to put your next design for a half decade with something couldn't even catch up? That all of their features is already in the Type-C?
Well HDMI 2.1 is a thing. It might making a come back but that's still easy to implement in Type-C. The latter, with DisplayPort 2.0, can go up to 16K.
You're right about the Touch Bar, though anything keyboard-related were almost never something that important, unless you f* up badly.
Comments
It's baffling why Apple would bring that back if it can be done with USB-C and use any kind of reader to interface with USB4. It's also true for "HDMI" port. Who wants to see that?!?!
The goal of USB4 is one port to rule all and Apple, along with other PC companies, should follow that.
No need to carry around 3 or 4 dongles. Why not just get one that has all those ports? Like this one for about $35 (probably cheaper than 3 or 4 dongles):
PLUGABLE USB-C 7-IN-1 HUB WITH ETHERNET
I own it and it works wonderfully with my M1 MacBook Air - even has 87W USB-C PD pass-thru. Two year Warranty.Leave one in your bag & one on your desk (if you don't have a TB dock).
And you can get a single cable that has USB-C on one end & HDMI on the other - no dongle needed.
People comparing HDMI & SD card connections to retrograde tech are acting ridiculous. Anyone acting offended that there might be people who want these connections and don’t want a stupid box hanging next to their laptop (like what my girlfriend & I have to deal with to watch Disney+ on the stupid smart TV where its Disney+ app is utterly useless) are being selfish.
And yes, I expect this to be an excuse to raise prices. More profit for Apple. After raising prices on machines with fewer parts, they will raise them again and all the fanatics will excuse it with “well you wanted your useless ports back!”
I hate that this company is the best this industry has to offer.
oh, the trouble with the TouchBar is it has never been fully embraced by developers, so it’s potential was never realised. For example, my daughter once disclosed to me she has it set up to replicate a fixed row of function keys most of the time, except for when she wants to message emojis. Emojis! That is a lot of hardware cost for the minimal extra functionality it delivers after five years. Not a success. Cutting it out represents savings. Whether the savings go to the buyer or Apple’s margins is a question for Tim Apple.
My Panasonic GH5 is still an extremely popular 4K video camera which doesn't link up to Macs like the newer Sonys. I shoot on SD and then remove the card and put that card into the SD card slot of my mid-2015 15" MBP. I use the SD card slot ALL THE TIME. It's far better than a stupid dongle which can easily be lost or misplaced or forgotten. Dongles also stick out of the machine and can easily be detached by accident. An internal solution is best, and I am super pleased they are bringing it back.
The other reason this news is great is because Apple will no doubt add the latest SD card tech — SD Express. That's basically a removable SSD in your Mac. Everybody who has "I don't need it so you shouldn't either" syndrome forgets that important detail.
Lastly, a lot of the disbelief that the SD card is coming back centers on all the bashing that has been going on since the SD card's demise. People who didn't need it, bashed those of us who did, claiming, "Apple will never go back! Ha!" And now that Apple is going back, it's hard for the bashers to backtrack all that bashing. The good news is that we who were bashed don't hold a grudge. We will get what we wanted all along, and those of you who still contend you don't need it, lose NOTHING. You simply can choose not to use that slot. And that's the great thing about it coming back — everybody is pleased in the end. Nobody loses anything. We only stand to gain!
I have been nursing my exquisite late 2013 15" MacBook Pro with its complete range of I/O slots, MagSafe and excellent tactile keyboard. I genuinely believe it's the best laptop Apple has ever made. I almost vowed to myself that I would never buy another until Apple, at minimum, fixed the butterfly keyboard.
The fact that they have now addressed that, and are also addressing the issues with ports mean I may well be finally back in the market again!
Yet another case of "I need it, so everyone else should too" syndrome.
I also have a 2015 MBP, and I NEVER USE the SD card slot. My most common ways to transfer files (in order) are: AirDrop, SMB file sharing over Wifi, and USB flash drives.
The same way an SD card can be.
Wirelessly transferring files without needing any intermediate storage device is superior to everything. While I don't own any high end cameras, I've seen plenty of other devices which can act as wirelessly connected storage for direct file transfers.
Uhh, you do realize this is only a rumour right?
Definitely serial port because I need console in routers/switches too.
So how do you know most pros are in desperate need for a HDMI?
Oh we won't see Type-A going out anytime soon, they're so damn cheap to put one on your device. Then again, I could argue the same with RS-232 and Printer port too.
How many years since the latest HDMI specification released? Do you think it's good to put your next design for a half decade with something couldn't even catch up? That all of their features is already in the Type-C?
Well HDMI 2.1 is a thing. It might making a come back but that's still easy to implement in Type-C. The latter, with DisplayPort 2.0, can go up to 16K.
You're right about the Touch Bar, though anything keyboard-related were almost never something that important, unless you f* up badly.